White house farm

U.S. trade mission seeks structural changes to China's economy-Mnuchin United States Secretary of the Treasury Steven Mnuchin holds a news conference after the G7 Finance Ministers Summit in Whistler, British Columbia, Canada, June 2, 2018 – PHOTO: REUTERS BEIJING/WHISTLER (REUTERS) - The United States wants trade talks in Beijing over the weekend to result in structural changes to China's economy, in addition to increased Chinese purchases of American goods, U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said on Saturday. U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross arrived in Beijing on Saturday with an interagency team of U.S. officials for talks on long-term purchases of U.S. farm and energy commodities, just days after Washington renewed its threats to impose tariffs on Chinese goods. The purchases are partly aimed at shrinking the US$375 billion U.S. goods trade deficit with China. Mnuchin, speaking at a G7 finance leaders meeting in Canada where he was the target of U.S. allies' … [Read more...] about U.S. trade mission seeks structural changes to China’s economy-Mnuchin

The United States’ closest allies attacked the Trump administration on Friday for imposing tariffs on steel and aluminum imports and mounted challenges with the world’s top trade body, fouling the mood at a G7 finance leaders meeting. U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin was the prime target of the criticism at the meeting of Group of Seven finance ministers and central bank governors in Canada, with the six other G7 member countries subject to the U.S. metals tariffs, which were imposed on national security grounds. Their complaints also complicated U.S. efforts to gain cooperation to challenge China’s trade practices. The European Union and Canada both filed challenges with the World Trade Organization. Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland said in a statement that the tariffs were “imposed under a false pretext of safeguarding U.S. national security.” Canada’s finance minister, Bill Morneau, told reporters that in a meeting with Mnuchin, … [Read more...] about US isolated at G7 meeting as tariffs prompt retaliation

The US and China both fund large soft power programmes aimed at bolstering their image abroad AFP/FREDERIC J. BROWN The announcement came after high-level talks in the US capital and followed months of tensions over what President Donald Trump has blasted as an unfair commercial relationship between the two economic giants. Vice-Premier Liu He, who led Chinese negotiators in Washington said: "The two sides reached a consensus, will not fight a trade war, and will stop increasing tariffs on each other," state-run news agency Xinhua reported Sunday. Liu called the agreement a "necessity", but added: "At the same time it must be realised that unfreezing the ice cannot be done in a day, solving the structural problems of the economic and trade relations between the two countries will take time." An earlier joint statement issued in Washington said Beijing would "significantly" increase its purchases of American goods, but offered few details. The apparent detente comes after months of … [Read more...] about China US agree to abandon trade war: China’s vice premier

China has offered U.S. President Donald Trump a package of proposed purchases of American goods and other measures aimed at reducing the U.S. trade deficit with China by some $200 billion a year, U.S. officials familiar with the proposal said. The offer came during the first of two days of U.S.-China trade talks in Washington aimed at resolving tariff threats between the world’s two largest economies, but it was not immediately clear how the total value was determined. One of the sources said U.S. aircraft maker Boeing Co would be a major beneficiary of the Chinese offer if Trump were to accept it. Boeing is the largest U.S. exporter and already sells about a quarter of its commercial aircraft to Chinese customers. Another person familiar with the talks said the package may include some elimination of Chinese tariffs already in place on about $4 billion worth of U.S. farm products including fruit, nuts, pork, wine and sorghum. The top-line number would match a request presented … [Read more...] about China offers Trump package to slash US trade deficit: officials

US President Donald Trump signing the ordinance to withdraw the US from the TPP Comparing the multi-country trade agreement to a glasswork, Yoshihide Suga, Japan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary cautioned against any efforts to change it to accommodate President Trump. He told New York Times: “It is difficult to bring part of the pact and re-negotiate the CPTPP,” and called it a “well-balanced pact” that carefully addressed the needs of the current eleven member countries. Taro Aso, Japanese Minister of Finance, said he would welcome a decision by the US to explore rejoining the CPTPP. “If it is true, I would welcome it.” But he added that he needed to verify facts carefully. “Trump is a person who could change temperamentally, so he may say something different the next day,” Reuters reported. New Zealand’s Trade Minister David Parker questioned how real the engagement was, given similar comments of President Trump in Davos. … [Read more...] about US wish to rejoin to cause turmoil within CPTPP?

Ministers wave as they pose for the official picture before signing the rebranded 11-nation Pacific trade pact Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) in Santiago, on Mar 8, 2018. (CLAUDIO REYES/AFP) President Donald Trump has directed senior aides to explore rejoining the 11-nation Trans-Pacific Partnership if a "better deal" can be reached, the White House said on Thursday (Apr 12). The decision, which was welcomed by lawmakers from agricultural states, could mark an abrupt about-face for a president who had campaigned against the deal and swiftly withdrew from it after taking office last year. But the White House was quick to point out that Trump's decision, rather than a flip-flop, was consistent with earlier statements. "Last year, the President kept his promise to end the TPP deal ... because it was unfair to American workers and farmers," Deputy White House Press Secretary Lindsay Walters said in a statement. However, he "has consistently … [Read more...] about Trump considers rejoining TPP, the Pacific trade pact he once spurned

President Donald Trump has directed senior aides to explore re-joining the 11-nation Trans-Pacific Partnership if a "better deal" can be reached, the White House said Thursday. The decision, which was welcomed by lawmakers from agricultural states, could mark an abrupt about-face for a president who had campaigned against the deal and swiftly withdrew from it after taking office last year. But the White House was quick to point out that Trump's decision, rather than a flip-flop, was consistent with earlier statements. "Last year, the President kept his promise to end the TPP deal... because it was unfair to American workers and farmers," Deputy White House Press Secretary Lindsay Walters said in a statement. However, he "has consistently said he would be open to a substantially better deal, including in his speech in Davos earlier this year." To that end, he has asked U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and top economic adviser Larry Kudlow "to take another look at whether or … [Read more...] about Trump considers re-joining Pacific trade pact he once spurned

US-China trade war fears escalate as threats ramp up Trump remained defiant and argued the pain of the dispute will pay off in the end, while China said that his administration would only "shoot itself in the foot" if it didn't back down from the "extremely wrong" threats. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin acknowledged there was a risk of a trade war, but said the intention is to defend US interests and the administration remains willing to negotiate. But top White House economic advisor Larry Kudlow reversed himself, and warned that the tariff threat is not a negotiating tactic. Global stock markets were unhappy with the turn of events, as Wall Street dropped more than two percent, following European and Asian markets lower. In the wake of the decision to impose steep tariffs on steel and aluminium imports, the United States on Tuesday published a list of US$50 billion in Chinese goods to be hit by tariffs over what Washington says is widespread theft of intellectual property and … [Read more...] about US China trade war fears escalate as threats ramp up

Exhibition praises victory of 1968 Tet OffensiveCommando Ba Mu (whose real name is Do Van Can) disguised himself as a rubber latex collector to fool the enemy. He used a tricycle to transport weapons to serve the South Vietnam liberation forces during the 1968 Tet Offensive.The tricycle is on display at exhibition that has opened in Hanoi.Entitled The Epic of the 1968 Tet Offensive, the exhibition celebrates the 50th anniversary of the victory of the campaign.The exhibition displays more than 300 images, documents and objects. Ba Mu’s tricycle is one among many objects showcased to the public for the first time.The exhibition is divided into three parts: devotion for the battlefield, the historical turning point and echoes of the epic. They depict the determination of Vietnamese people and soldiers in fighting for peace and liberation.“The Military History Museum of Vietnam organised the exhibition with the aim of asserting the historical magnitude and significance of the … [Read more...] about Social News 29/1

A historic tree that has stood at the White House for nearly 200 years is scheduled to be cut back.The "Jackson" magnolia was planted by President Andrew Jackson as a tribute to his recently deceased wife.It has been a backdrop to historic ceremonies and even featured on the $20 note between 1928 and 1988.But experts say the tree is damaged and poses a safety hazard. First Lady Melania Trump has called for a large portion of it to be removed.White House spokeswoman Stephanie Grisham said Mrs Trump had requested that seedlings be maintained so that a new tree could possibly be replanted in the same area.She said Mrs Trump had taken the decision because the tree posed a threat to "the safety of visitors and members of the press who are often standing right in front" of it when the presidential helicopter takes off.The magnolia originally came from a cutting from Mrs Rachel Jackson's favourite magnolia tree on the couple's Tennessee farm.Its first problems began in the early 1970s when a … [Read more...] about The White House’s famous magnolia tree to be cut back